EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.—The Truman Men's Basketball team won the GLVC tournament for the first time since joining the conference with a 53-52 win over Missouri-St. Louis on Sunday. It is the first conference tournament title since 1999, when they won as a member of the MIAA. Brodric Thomas led the way for the Bulldogs with 25 points and ten rebounds.

The first half was a physical affair, and both sides displayed their defensive prowess as the teams shot a combined 17-45 in the half. Early on Truman held the advantage behind two dunks—one from Alex McQuinn and the other from Thomas at the 18:19 mark. But the physical defense of the Tritons kept the Bulldogs off the board for four minutes until Cade McKnight broke the drought with a jumper at 14:09 to give Truman a 6-4 lead. UMSL eventually took a 10-6 lead, but a 6-0 run from Truman took the lead back. The two teams went back and forth to close the half, but Thomas hit a jumper in the final minute to give Truman a 22-20 lead going into the break.

Early in the second half UMSL took the lead at 29-27, but a 12-4 run by the Bulldogs gave Truman their largest lead of the game at six points. Thomas had eight points in the run. But UMSL would not make it easy. At 5:56 the Tritons took back the lead at 44-43, and from there the teams went back and forth until it looked like UMSL had taken control with a four point lead with 2:33 to go. Points were not hard to come by, but true to form Thomas took the team on his shoulders and made a layup with 2:18 left and then nailed the decisive three pointer with 1:03 to go. Neither team could get on the board in the last minute, and a last second shot by UMSL wouldn't go as Truman persevered.

Truman has locked up a spot in the NCAA Tournament with this victory, and awaits to hear its exact regional fate.